Joined: 24 Aug 2010 United States Lessons: 1 Karma: 12

Starting warm up. by thatguitarguy 18 Jun 2011 Views: 41783

when I started guitar I really didnt have any structure when it came to practice let alone a warm up to start my practice with. So I looked around on all kinds of sites and forums to see how others warmed up and tis is what I came up with.

left hand warm ups

First the trills. In my opinion trills are the best way to loosen up your fingers. They are also a great way to build up muscles in your fingers to decrease fatigue. I do them like so.
h=hamer on, p=pull off

e-------------------------------1h2p1--------------------------------------------|

B-------------------------1h2p1-------2h3p2--------------------------------------|

G-------------------1h2p1-------------------2h3p2--------------------------------|

D-------------1h2p1-------------------------------2h3p2-----------------------etc|

A-------1h2p1-------------------------------------------2h3p2-------------etc----|

E-1h2p1-------------------------------------------------------2h3p2-3h4p3--------|

try to make it all the way until your index finger hits the 12th fret. But if it hurts STOP!
after doing that do it again with your ring and pinky finger. You will find that your fingers feel loos and ready to play.

next comes finger stretching

This will help you stretch out your fingers so that you can make some of those more intense cords. This one starts with your index finger on the 12th fret and looks like this.

e-----------------------------------------------------------------|

B-15-15-15-15-14-14-14--------------------------------------------|

G-14-14-14-13-13-13-13--------------------------------------------|

D-13-13-12-12-12-12-11--------------------------------------------|

A-12-11-11-11-11-10-10-etc-etc------------------------------------|

E-----------------------------------------------------------------|

keep going until your index finger is on the first fret or until you cant go any further. As the frets get farther apart you will stretch your fingers out more.

chord changing

This next one will help you move your hands easier when changing chords.

e---------4-1-5-2-------------|

B-----4-1-3-2-4-3-5-2---------|

G-4-1-3-2-2-3-3-4-4-3---------|

D-3-2-2-3-1-4-2-5-3-4---------|

A-2-3-1-4---------2-5---------|

E-1-4-----------------etc-etc-|

Go all the way until you your index finger gets down to the 12th fret and then go back to the first fret.

moving up and down the neck

This one is to help move up and down the neck and keep the location of octaves are fresh in your mind.

e-------------------------------6-7-8-8-7-6---------------------------------------|

B-------------------------6-7-8-------------8-7-6---------------------------------|

G-------------------3-4-5-------------------------5-4-3---------------------------|

D-------------3-4-5-------------------------------------5-4-3---------------------|

A-------1-2-3-------------------------------------------------3-2-1---------------|

E-1-2-3-------------------------------------------------------------3-2-1-etc-etc-|

with this one go as far as you can on your guitar with the lat finger on the high e string and then come back to where you started.

Right hand

right and left hand synching exercise

This one is simple. it is just chromatics going up and down the fret board. like so.

e-----------------------------------------1-2-3-4-5-4-3-2---------------------------------|

B---------------------------------1-2-3-4-----------------5-4-3-2-------------------------|

G-------------------------1-2-3-4---------------------------------5-4-3-2-----------------|

D-----------------1-2-3-4-------------------------------------------------5-4-3-2---------|

A---------1-2-3-4-----------------------------------------------------------------etc-----|

E-1-2-3-4-----------------------------------------------------------------------------etc-|

the first time you do this one start with a down stroke and continue on with alternate picking. Then do it the same way only this time start on a down stroke. This will make sure that you are ready for both inside and outside picking. Go all the way to the 12th fret and then go back to the first.

alternate picking exercise

this one is exactly like the last one except you only use three fingers instead of all four (so instead of 1-2-3-4 change it to 1-2-3) This makes it so that, if done with a strict alternate picking style, You alternate inside and outside picking. remember after starting with an up stroke do it again but this time start with a down stroke.

sweep picking

this time we try sweeps. like so.
u= up stroke d= down stroke

  ddd uuu  ddd uuu

e--------------------------|

B--------------------------|

G--------------------------|

D---3-3------4-4-----------|

A--2---2----3---3----------|

E-1-----1--2-----2-etc-etc-|

do this on every group of three strings.

Right and left hand warm up

String skipping exercise

This one is like the alternate picking exercise except you skip the string. like so.

e-------------------------------------------1-2-3--3-2-1-------------------------------|

B-------------------------------1-2-3--------------------------3-2-1-------------------|

G-------------------1-2-3-------------1-2-3--------------3-2-1-------------3-2-1-------|

D-------1-2-3-------------1-2-3--------------------------------------3-2-1-------------|

A-------------1-2-3--------------------------------------------------------------3-2-1-|

E-1-2-3--------------------------------------------------------------------------------|

same drill as the alternate picking one. all the way up, all the way back, once starting in an up stroke one starting with a down stroke.

Conclusion

Hopefully this helps. I know I wish I had a thing like this when I started. If there is anything I missed post it in a comment because Im sure I missed something. Have fun.